Fastener portions (called "loop fastener material or materials" herein) comprising loops adapted to be releasably engaged by other fastener portions which may include hook or headed stems (collectively called "hook fastener material or materials" herein) are well known in the art. Loop fastener materials typically comprise a sheetlike fibrous structure of upstanding loops anchored to a base layer on a first major surface. The fibrous structure may be formed by any of several methods such as weaving, knitting, warp knitting, weft insertion knitting, circular knitting, stitching, or the known methods for making nonwoven structures. In order to attach the loop fastener material to a desired substrate, it is known to provide a layer of adhesive, e.g., a pressure-sensitive adhesive or a heat-activated adhesive, on the second major surface of the loop fastener material. Such loop fastener material may also comprise a substantially continuous backing between the fibrous structure and the adhesive layer. Illustrative examples of loop fastener materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,116 (Rogers), U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,318 (Ott et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,931,343 (Becker et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,326 (Wood et al.), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,122 (Noel et al.), and PCT Application No. WO 9201401 (Gorman).
In order to arrange an adhesive-backed loop fastener material in storage/dispensing assembly, e.g., a roll or one or more sheets or a stack of individual sheets, it is notorious to provide a release liner covering the adhesive layer. When arranged in the storage/dispensing assembly, the release liner separates the adhesive layer and facing fibrous structure. The release liner is used to protect the adhesive layer. Also, it is relied upon to prevent the adhesive layer from fouling the loops of the loop fastener material such that they can be releasably engaged when the fastener material is used.
When the loop fastener material is to be used, e.g., applied to a substrate such as a diaper or garment, the release liner is removed and typically discarded. With heightened concern over environmental issues and disposal costs, many users now demand that suppliers take back used liner materials. In addition, rolls of loop fastener material with release liner are typically unstable and subject to telescoping; accordingly they are usually provided with roll shields, i.e., wide plates or disks attached to the ends of the roll core.
The aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,326 teaches at column 1, lines 46-52, that the "pressure-sensitive adhesive will adhere to the surface of the fastener material against which it is wound on the roll unless a release coating is provided on the fastener material, which is difficult and impractical, or unless the adhesive is covered by a release liner".
An additional problem with some loop fastener materials, especially low density versions used to reduce cost and/or exhibit a soft character (e.g., polyolefin-based loops), is that when they are arranged in a storage/dispensing assembly, the fibrous structure and loops are compressed such that when applied to a substrate their efficacy in engaging with complementary hook fastener material is reduced. To address this, it has been known to brush the loop portion of the loop fastener material to restore an open condition which will readily engage the complementary hook fastener material. The necessity of brushing presents an additional processing step and cost which lessens the desirability of using hook and loop fasteners.